The thermometer art in general is an old and crowded art, and the aquarium thermometer art in particular is similarly crowded, although not quite as old. A plethora of aquarium thermometer designs have been available to the hobbyist. These have fallen generally into several categories, namely, thermometers which may be hung from the top of an aquarium, thermometers which float on the surface or at the surface of a body of aquarium water, and thermometers which are fully submerged to the bottom and placed at the bottom of an aquarium.
The present invention provides a new and improved modular aquarium thermometer construction which lends itself to use in three different modes of operation, namely as a hanging aquarium thermometer, as a floating aquarium thermometer, or as a free-standing sinkable aquarium thermometer.
The new thermometer assembly generally includes an elongated transparent housing of non-toxic thermoplastic which carries therein in a shock-proof and safe fashion a glass thermometer secured to a readily readable thermometer scale. In accordance with the invention, the housing includes a separate ballast chamber at the lowermost portion thereof which carries a weight sufficient to submerge but not sink the thermometer when it is dropped into an aquarium. In accordance with the invention a sinking cap may be affixed to the lower end of the aquarium to totally submerge the thermometer to a free-standing position at the bottom of an aquarium tank. The sinking cap includes additional ballast and a stabilizing-anchoring fin which is adapted to guide the thermometer and to stabilize the thermometer in its descent through the aquarium water into the sand or gravel at the bottom of the aquarium. A still further embodiment of the invention utilizes a separate hanger cap which may be attached to the top of the thermometer housing for the purposes of securing the thermometer to the flange of an aquarium tank.
For a more complete understanding of the present invention and a better appreciation of its intended advantages reference should be made to the following detailed description of the invention taken in conjunction with the drawings herein.